Air mail discharging safety device



June 6, 1950 E. T. BICKERS AIR MAIL nxscmmcme SAFETY DEVICE Filed Feb. 18, 1947 IN VEN TOR. E. 1' BIC'KERS By M w ATTOJZIVEY Patented June 6, 1950 UNITED STATES PATIENT oF lcE AIR MAIL DISCHARGING SAFETY nnvrc Ed Thomas Bickers, Sparta, Ky. Application February 18,1947, Serial No. 729,271

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a'device for dischargi ing air mail from moving aeroplanes, and one of its objects is to provide a carrier in which a filled or loaded mail bag may be placed, and means for delaying the descent of the carrier and its mail bag, and additional means for positioning the carrier in an upright position, so that the mail may be located and quickly separated from the carrier for road delivery.

Another object of the invention is to provide a descent delaying rotating blade which may be regulated to vary the velocity of descent.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a supporting staff with means for penetrating the ground and additional means for cushioning the impact of the loaded carrier with the ground.

With the above and other objects in view the invention comprises certain new and useful constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts, clearly described in the following specification, and fully illustrated in the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the device, with. parts shown in vertical section.

Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of the hub of the rotating blades, showing the means for adjusting the pitch of the rotating blades to vary its resistance to the descent of the carrier and its load.

Referring to the drawings which show the prac-' tical embodiment of the invention 5 designates an approximately oval ring frame, to the lower end of which a post or rod 6 is welded or otherwise secured, as at I. This post is provided with direction controlling vanes 8, shown to be triangular in shape. M

On the lower end of the rod 6 a housing 9 is mounted, and this housing is provided with a radial flange It). In this housing the spring cup H of the ground piercing pointed prong I2 is slidably fitted, and is held against outward displacement by the keeper flange l3, formed on the lower end of the housing 9. A compression spring I4 is arranged within the cup H with its upper end bearing against the flange 13, so that the piercing prong or point I2 will be always in an extended position below the rod 6.

The connection between the post or rod 6 and the frame ring 5 may also be by means of screw threaded joint.

The upper end of the frame ring 5 is provided with a tubular stud l5, welded or otherwise secured thereto, and in this stud the post I6 is threaded tightly. This post is provided with a 2 thrust collar l1 and with a stud shaft l8, on which the hub IQ of a, rotating blade 20 is designed to freely turn. This hub is provided with an integral arm 2|, which carries a momentum block or weight 22, and is also provided with abearin 23 on which the" coupling collar or flange '24 of the propeller 2a is clampe'd, by means of the'screw 25,, for pitch adjustment, by turning. An indexed scale 26 is provided on this collar or flange to aid the operator in adjusting the pitch of the propeller.

The frame ring 5 is provided with an upper lug- 21 and a lower lug 28. On the lug 21 a. coil spring 29 is pivoted and on the lug 28 a, coil spring 30 is pivoted. Between these springs the mail bag 3i is supported by the hooks 32 and 33, which connect the ends of the bag to these springs.

The mail clerk'on the mail carrier plane arranges the discharge carrier in the manner shown in Fig. 1, and releases it to descend by gravity to the ground. The velocity of the descent is checked by means of the resistance to rapid falling which the free turning of the propeller generates.

When the carrier reaches the limit of its de-r scent the piercing prong will be driven into the ground, but the enclosed spring will absorb the shock of impact and protect the mail from 111-; jury, and will support the carrier and its bag in an upright position.

The mail clerk on the mail carrier plane arlector or device and the carrier taken back to its air line for similar use by another or the same, plane. Not only is the supporting post cushioned against the shock of ground impact, but the bag is cushioned on the carrier frame against such shock, and against the force of wind pressure acting on its during descent or after being an-, chored in the ground.

It is understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction, their combination and arrangement, within the scope of the invention, as defined by the claims hereof.

Having described the invention, I claim as new:

1. An air mail discharging and anchoring device comprising a ring frame, devices on the lower and upper ends of said frame for the connection of a mail pouch therebetween, a post detachably connected to the lower end of the ring frame and adapted to pierce the ground and a rotatable blade structure detachably connected to the upper end of the ring frame.

2. An air mail discharging and anchoring device comprising a ring frame, means on the upper and lower ends of said frame adapted for the at tachment therebetween of a mail pouch, internally threaded projections extending respec'- tively from the lower and upper ends of said frame, a post having a threaded projection adapted to engage with the threaded projection of the ring frame at the lower end thereof whereby said post may be detachably connected to the frame, a rotating blade structure having a, threaded portion engageable with the threaded projection on the upper end of the ring frame whereby said rotating blade may be detachably connected to the frame.

3. An air mail discharging and anchoring device comprising a ring frame, devices on the lower and upper ends of said frame forthe con nection of a mail pouch therebetween, a post detachably connected to the lower end of the ring frame and adapted to pierce the ground anda rotatable blade structure detachably connected to the upper end of the ring; frame, and said ground post having a, spring cushioning arrangement therewithin to-absorb a partof the landing shock of the device;

4. An air mail discharging and anchoringv de vice comprising. a ring frame, devices on the lower and upper ends of said frame for the connection of a mail pouch therebetween, a post detachably connected to the lower end of the ring frame and adapted to pierce the ground and a rotatable blade structure detachably connected to the upper end of the ring frame, and said detachable post having direction controlling vanes thereon to help maintain the device in an upright manner upon its descent.

ED THOMAS BICKERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this :patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,341,783 Case June 1, 1920 1,799,664 Williams Apr. 7, 1931 2,151,395 Smith Mar. 21, 1932 2,187,295 Alvistur Jan. 16, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 428,895 France July 3, 1911 442,973 Great Britain Feb. 19, 1936 

